


Want To Go To A Movie Tomorrow?

by ObservationalObsessive



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Awkward Crush, F/M, Inspired by Real Events, John Green - Freeform, Why Did I Write This?, mutual crush, what even is this?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-23 11:57:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13189584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObservationalObsessive/pseuds/ObservationalObsessive
Summary: Have you ever had to stop before sending a message and just breathe; just ask yourself if you really, truly want to do it. Is it actually worth it? How good of an idea is this in reality?---MJ asks her crush out in an unnecessarily convoluted way. (Inspired by John Green)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have no good excuse for this. 
> 
> This story is inspired by the story of how John Green asked his now wife out. I honestly don't know why I thought of MJ doing it but here you go. ;D Actually, I initially thought of doing it the other way round so it would've been Peter in MJ's place but... I liked this much better.

Have you ever had to stop before sending a message and just  _ breathe _ ; just ask yourself if you really, truly want to do it. Is it actually worth it? How good of an idea is this in reality?

For the most part, I’ve only heard about those moments from other people, in movies, and online. I haven’t experienced it very often and maybe that’s because of how rarely I say anything that I would considered a risk to anyone. Typically, I say what I’m thinking and don’t give much thought to how people feel about it and I don’t know many people that I say anything personal to.

But today… Today, I find myself in two of those very moments.

The first is when I send out the initial email to everyone on the decathlon team. There isn't anything about it that would be called a risky movie by probably anyone else. However, they would all know that it’s a little out of character for me.

I stare at the screen for ten minutes before I decide to add a little to it. An explanation, as it were.

_ I know studying can be stressful and sometimes it’s nice to get a break. I figured it could be fun to do something together outside of school. _

That seems good. It feels like a reasonable answer to any possible questions about just why I’m sending out an email inviting everyone to go to the movies tomorrow. This is literally my first time ever asking anyone to go to the movies and I can’t shake the feeling that they’ll be able to guess that.

At first, the invitation is going to go out in the form of a group email. But then I realize how complicated it could get if people started hitting ‘reply all’ and so I’m about to go the extra mile and send it to everyone separately when I think about how confusing that might make the  _ next _ step in my plan. 

It’s all so complicated and frustrating and is beginning to feel pointless but I figure it all out anyway. I add yet another part to the end and ask that no one respond to the email. Instead, I ask them to text me directly since “it would be easier for me to keep track that way.”

Which doesn’t make sense.

But I ultimately decide it doesn’t matter and, with a deep, preparatory breath, I send it.

Then comes the next step. Sally Avril is first because I’m going alphabetically by surname. She’ll be the hardest because I won’t be able to do anything but go through the rest of the list once I  send the second email to her. Getting started is what makes me pause again…

There are numerous reasons to just not do it. What if they talk and realized what had happened? What if they don’t and everyone thinks they’re the only one? What if they all hate me after this? What if they already do? What if he says no anyway and it was all pointless? Would it really be so bad to just  _ not _ carry out the rest of the plan and all go to a movie?

I’m only the slightest bit ashamed of the fact that it’s that last one that gets me to do it. The idea of going to a movie with that bunch sounds pretty miserable…

So I type out the two-word follow up email.

And then I add one more word so they won’t take it too badly.

_ Not you. Sorry. _

Sending it requires another couple breaths and then it’s done. After that, I get through the whole list without any hesitation.

And then I have to wait.

As should have been expected, I get a number of confused and offended replies but since every one of them is directed only at me… I figure it could’ve been worse. The last thing I need is one of those messages being sent to everyone and risking having my plan found out before it can even be completed. So I accept my fate and read every email and text I get just in case one is the response I was waiting for.

It finally comes at nearly 3 am. By that time, all the others have stopped. Either because they’ve moved on, run out of things to say, or gone to bed. I don’t care. I finally have the text I had been so anxious to get.

_ That sounds so fun!!! I’ll absolutely be there!!! Can’t wait!!! _

It even includes a selection of emojis. Grinning face, sunglasses face, and a different grinning face.

It’s stupid that it makes me as happy as it does.


	2. Chapter 2

Peter is just getting home from patrol when he sees the email. It’s sort of a wonder he even sees it before he goes to bed since it’s not like he’s in the habit of checking his email every night between coming home and going to sleep.

But Mr. Stark said he was going to email him some possible dates for a training day so he could show Peter all of the features of his suit and explain them. So Peter’s been checking every day since then just to be he hasn’t missed it.

He’s not surprised to see that, just like the past four days, there’s nothing from Mr. Stark. But there  _ is  _ a group email to the decathlon team from MJ, which he figures might be important. Probably an update on the practice schedule or something.

Peter is not even sort of expecting when he gets instead.

_ Hey, _

_ I know studying can be stressful and sometimes it’s nice to get a break. I figured it could be fun to do something together outside of school. _

_ Meet me at the movie theater tomorrow night at 7 and we can see whatever’s playing. I’ll buy popcorn. Who knows? Could be fun. _

_ Don’t respond to the email. It’ll be easier for me to keep track if you text me directly. _

_ MJ _

He could be wrong but Peter’s fairly certain he’s never heard MJ suggest anything like this before. In fact, according to what Ned told him, she mostly just went places by herself.

It’s his first thought to decline. He doesn’t have time for things like that when he’s juggling school and Spider-Man and his new photography gig for the newspaper. That and, while he liked most of the team, who would want to go to a movie with someone as obnoxious as Flash?

But then, maybe he won’t be there. And even if he is, Peter knows he shouldn’t let someone else ruin his own fun. And that’s another thing. Fun. Aunt May and Ned say he never has any now.

Maybe taking a break from everything for just a couple hours would be ok. And he likes MJ and doesn't mind the idea of spending time with her outside of school, even if everyone else is there too.

Besides… Peter loves movies. So he decides to text her back right away so he won’t forget.

_ That sounds so fun!!! I’ll absolutely be there!!! Can’t wait!!! _

-

I guess another thing I haven’t experienced is that moment where your anticipation turns into anxiety and you regret everything.

That’s what I’m feeling as I stand outside the theater and wait. My arms are crossed as I lean against the wall and try to look casual and  _ not _ like my heart is beating out of my chest.

The rest of the team is still texting me with things like, “are you mad at me?” “Am I getting kicked off the team?” And, “screw you!” I want to turn off my phone but what if Peter texts before he shows up? Or to say he’s changed his mind..

So I endure the texts making my phone chime periodically throughout the day and thank everything it’s a weekend so I don't have to see any of them.

Finally, Peter shows up. He runs down the sidewalk and is out of breath for maybe three seconds before he recovers.

He smiles cheerfully as he pushed a hand through his windblown hair, then looks confused. “Where’s everyone else?”

I frown and give him a small shrug. “Guess it was kinda last minute. Looks like it’s just you and me!” I am humiliated by the awkward chuckle I add at the end and quickly led it change into a cough that we both pretend isn’t fake. Peter’s nice like that.

“Ok. Well…” he squints up at the showtimes listed at the top of the box office window. “What do you want to see?”

I shrug again and start to dig in my messenger bag for my wallet. “I don’t care. Lemme give you some cash and you can tickets for whatever while I get the popcorn.”

He waves off my hand, outstretched with a ten dollar bill folded in half between two fingers. “Nah, if you’re buying popcorn then I can buy the tickets. Just two anyway, right?”

It seems fair and logical and so I nod smile before going inside byself. There’s a small line at the concessions stand, which gives me plenty of time to question all my life choices while I wait.

Because really, what was I thinking doing any of this? It’s stupid and all I’ve really managed to do is piss everyone else on the team off. There isn’t any way that they aren’t going to talk about it when they each inevitably realize that I sent the same message to other people as well. Someone will ask Peter about it or he’ll just ask why no one else came. 

But then it’s my turn and I order a large popcorn to share because it’s a better deal than two smaller ones and Peter comes in with the tickets before I have any more time to regret everything. Then he’s all smiley and cheerful while he tells about about the movie he picked and how excited he’s been to see it and if just for the a couple hours I decide to just stop about worrying about any of it.

We’re here, at the movies theater, together and no matter what stupid things I did to get to this point… I like it.

The actually movie viewing experience proves to be painfully cheesy. Our hands keep touching accidentally when we reach for more popcorn at the same time and at some point I think I forget about the movie altogether because our knees have ended up so close to each other that they’re practically touching. Then, with only a half hour or so left to the movie, our hands brush against each other again when there’s only a little left at the bottom of the bin and Peter actually  _ takes _ my hand. He doesn’t let go until the end of the movie, when we stand up to leave, and I’m sure I’m blushing just as much as him. I’m grateful it shows less on my complexion than his.

We walked outside together and Peter manges to give me emotional whiplash in the span of a minute. First he says, “it’s too bad no one came. Would’ve been really fun.” Then he smiles somewhat shyly and says,” maybe not  _ as _ fun though. We should do this again sometime. Just us.”

And my stupid self can’t come up with any response besides, “sure.”

So that’s how it ends… and although there’s a part of me that’s trying to be negative and focus on the aftermath I’m sure to face on Monday or how awkward I was, I go to sleep that night thinking about Peter’s smile and the way his hand felt in mine.

Maybe I don’t regret  _ everything _ .


	3. Chapter 3

I don’t know how we make it through decathlon practice on Monday without some kind of mutiny but we do. Mostly, I think it’s just because I shoot down every clearly incoming question with a glare. I also don’t really leave any time for conversation between our drills, which I can do as the captain, I guess.

Peter keeps trying to catch my eye and I assume he wants to talk but I pretend not to notice. Maybe he’s figured out what I did and I’m not sure I want to talk about it yet. 

If ever.

We make it through decathlon without any incidents and I’m almost past the gates of school when Sally stops me.

“MJ! Wait up,” she calls as she hurries behind me, fumbling with her bag as she tries to shove a few notebooks inside without dropping the whole thing.

I brace myself mentally and slow down as I get to the gate, where I stop and give her a minute to catch her breath before I say anything. “Yeah, what’s up? Did you have a question about the schedule change?”

“Uh, no,” she tells me and shakes her head. Then she smiles at me as she slides her arms through the straps of her backpack and positions it comfortably on her shoulders. “I wanted to ask you about the movie thing the other day.”

I keep my expression neutral and nod. “Ok.”

She gives me a weird look and cocks her head. “What was that about? And don’t ask ‘what’ because you obviously know.”

Admittedly, I knew I’d face this sooner or later. I shrug and glance away, not loving the eye contact.

“I know I’m not the only one you backtracked on, MJ.”

Even though she’s right, it makes me curious and I narrow my eyes at her slightly. “Yeah? How’s that?”

“Because I know we don’t have a personal issue. There’s no reason you would specifically exclude me from something like that and if you did then you would be smart enough not to have included me in the email. I just can’t work out what you were doing.”

All I say is, “it was a mistake.”

It doesn’t seem like she’s going to accept that as an answer but then she doesn’t stop me when I say goodbye and leave the school. Maybe she’s going to let it go after all.

-

Although they were going to find out eventually, because all of my friends are smart as heck, it ends up being Peter’s fault when they figure out what Idid.

They’re all just showing up for decathlon practice on Wednesday when he brings up the movie we saw. He’s talking with Ned and Charles as they sit down, and then everything falls apart.

“Oh, it was so good! MJ and I saw it. It’s too bad none of you guys could make it ‘cause I think you would’ve liked it.”

And I can see it. I can just see the pieces falling into place in everyone’s heads as they realize what the whole mess had been about. If I have to guess, I don’t think most of them had talked about it to each other. They probably hadn’t wanted to make it awkward for anyone who  _ hadn’t  _ gotten the second message and now they all knew that Peter was the only one who hadn’t.

I can feel my face heating up and  I hate it.

“Let’s do some drills,” I say before anyone can say anything and hope my voice isn’t shaking as much as I think it is. 

We get through practice easily enough because everyone apparently decides to cooperate. But I still avoid looking at Peter, who makes it harder by sitting directly across from me like always.

Mr. Harrington is pretty clearly confused about the weird looks we all keep giving each other so I’m not surprised when he pulls me aside at the end and asks what’s going on. Of course, subtlety has never been his greatest skill so I wouldn’t call it unexpected when literally everyone hears him.

And then Flash, that idiot, feels the need to pipe up with his own unasked-for explanation. “Michelle has a crush on Peter  _ un _ invited all of us secretly so she could go to a movie with him.”

“Sorry,  _ what? _ ”

That would be Peter and I want to die.

I wince and give a very hard to detect nod to Mr. Harrington when he looks at me questioningly. He nods back and looks a little frightened, which is fair since he probably hadn’t thought he’d been signing up for this when he took the job. 

Apparently, my glares have lost their power because the others won’t stop chuckling about it and teasing me while we gather our things to go home. It doesn’t feel malicious though. It’s more like friendly poking than anything and is it weird if a part of me doesn’t completely hate it?

Meanwhile, Peter has decided he doesn’t want to look at me anymore and his face is totally red. I’ve never seen his eyes so wide before and I’m trying not to panic. Ned keeps nudging him and I don’t try to listen but I hear him trying to get Peter to talk to me.

Peter doesn’t want to.

I hurry the process of shoving things in my bag and power walk out of the school. Half of me is just glad that the team didn’t react as badly as I’d expected them to. But the other half regrets everything about this mess. Of course he doesn’t like me the same way and I can only imagine how horrified he must be feeling about this.

Maybe my friends aren’t stupid but I’m beginning to think I might be.

-

I get his text two hours after school lets out. I went straight home and buried myself in the beanbag in my room with a large Dickens novel in an attempt to block out my utter humiliation.

But then he texts me and I’m almost too nervous to open it. A few seconds later, I decide that’s ridiculous and I open it.

_ Want to go to another movie on Friday? _

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so if you’re a reader of Thunder and Lighting... really sorry about the lack of an update! It was Christmas and I forgot. I might forget again this week because of New Years but I promise I’ll post the week after if nothing else! I’m still blocked an trying to get through it but just bare with me, guys! In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this little fic. ;D
> 
> Also, I can't promise I'll get to everything but let me know if you have any requests for short stories! Sometimes I just want to write something different and don't have ideas so I thought I'd throw the idea out there. ^-^


End file.
